Kevin Lerena from South Africa will defend his world title of the world champion (WBC) on Thursday on his hometown against Serhiy Radchenko – a full circuit for a warrior who worked all over the world and paired Tyson Fury.

Lerena, who has a professional record of 33 fights, 30 wins (14 by KO) and three losses, became the short-lived world champion of WBC Bridger, when Lawrence Okolie left the title in October last year.

Probably one of the most talented vigorous combat athletes in South Africa, along with the Middle Wind World Champion UFC Dricus du Plessis, Leeren has a mission to breed more stars in boxing – which he still considers to be the main combat sport in the country – pointing to his proud history.

Lerena said ESPN: “In South Africa, Dricus exploded on the MMA stage [locally] And all over the world, but in boxing we have a little more platform for more than one person.

“I think there is definitely a space for the development of this sport … It’s no secret that I am involved in developing this sport.

“I have my own promotion, for which I am an ambassador, Aquila Boxing Promotions [trainer Peter Smith] This has his own promotion, with which he comes out … and Peter’s brother, Sean, who also began promotion. “

Peter Smith added, pointing to the ring in the gym: “Kevin and I am going to fight in Great Britain. We have 60,000 people to leave. You do not understand. You see such a ring and 60,000 people.

“We want to bring people back to sport, so that they come and support south Africans … If we all look through the same glass, we will end up with guys whose teenage people can look as if they were looking at Kevin.”

Currently 32 years, Leeren added that he was as hungry for success as when he first discovered boxing in teenagers and came across his coach Smith.

He said: “For the first time I found a boxing sport at the age of 15, 16. When I played rugby at school, I always trained boxing.

“I liked the element of sport sports, but I really fell into sport when I turned 17 or 18 – when I joined Peter. I became a professional at the age of 18, and the rest is a story.

“I never, I never thought that I would be a world champion. I just tried to survive my first fights, and when you have a believe in the system that was taught, in my trainer, you have the ability to learn and confidence increases.”

Lerena had the opportunity to pair with one of the boxers, which she admires the most, Tyson Fury, after the couple hit the relationship when Fury fought Chisora ​​for the third time on the same card in which Lerena lost Daniel Dubois in 2022.

Lerena remembered: “I was an event of cooperation when Tyson Fury fought Derek Chisora, so we hit the relationship there. He asked me if I would come to the camp when he was fighting [Oleksandr] Usyk. In this way we hit a relationship. “

Commenting on how Fury could succeed, despite the lack of sculpted appearance of other world champions, Lerena said: “Sports ability plays a role.

“As long as there is no body structure [traditionally associated with a world class boxer]It has a sports ability in the sense that it has a phenomenal gas tank.

“Conventional heavyweight masters do not look like him, but at the same time some of them do not box like him. Guys who are super built do not have this IQ ring [and] I don’t have such a move for a gigantic man. “

Fury announced his pension from boxing in January, but he already has He was teasing with a potential return. However, there was no official announcement of this. For Lerena, the journey continues, driven by a tough beginning he had in his boxing career and support of the deceased mother. She died in March 2024.

Lerena said: “When I became a professional, I worked three jobs. Nobody cares about mercy … My mother was a lonely lady of the working class. I worked, went to school and did my things, but when I finished school, I had to do work because we had no money at the university.

“I had to say,” What do I want to do? Do I want to study, do I want to do this professional sport? “

“To perform a professional boxing, I had to work three works. I had to work as a boxing coach on the floor of Sean Smith. I had to lend a hand George and brother Peter, Sean. He has a security company and worked for him as a gate to earn extra cash.

“I had a lot of hunger in me to try well. That’s why we’re [here] Now: I still have this hunger. This is never enough. It’s not like I’m greedy. I just have the impression that I just want to maximize, so when one day I die, I can say that I tried to do the best.

“Nobody can say,” he was a slothful b **** rd. ” Nobody can say that. “

However, even when he became the world champion, Lereren did not devote too much minds to celebration.

“When everything is said and done, the belts will be on the dust collecting shelf. I can’t celebrate it. I celebrate, which a lot means to me in the sense of my family,” he said.

“When everything is said and made, the belts collect dust on the wall, friends become few, everyone disappears, but your family and your loved ones are the only ones who are there. I am celebrating.”

WBO Lightweight Wytreight, Teofimo Lopez, decided not to take place with the mandatory contender Arnold Barboza Jr. During today’s great newcomers to Recent York for their fight on Friday, May 2, live on Dazn PPV in Times Square.

(Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom)

Perhaps one of the reasons why Teofimo (21-1, 13 Kos) decided not to do a meeting was that he did it for the last time, hit Barboza Jr. After the face after he rejected the cowboy hat. Barboz Jr. He tried to get to Teo so that he could mark him, but he could never. If they made a meeting today, there are chances that Barboz Jr. He would hit him.

No fireworks?

“Trains will continue, honey. I am content, I am excited, let’s go,” said Arnold Barboz Jr. Great newcomers to New York For fighting the WBO Lightweight Welter Welter Teofimo Lopez champion on Friday, May 2. “I am very excited that I can share with him. He is an amazing warrior. He is one of the best at 140, right?”

It is premature to call Teofimo “peak 140” because he still did not fight the WBC champion Alberto Puello, the master of WBA Gary Antuanne Russell, or the main belt of IBF Richardson Hitchins.

“But I am also an amazing warrior. It will be fireworks. Let’s go. I stick to my game plan. On May 2, it’s time to activate,” said Barboza Jr.

This fight will not have fireworks because Teo and Barboz Jr. They are not lethargic. Teofimo has power, but never consistently attacks his opponents.

“We are here to present a concert and toasty it up for everyone and take over control. I come to the law. It’s all mine. I will always respect it, but he crossed this border and we must put it there,” said Teofimo when he was asked that he was striking Barboza Jr. during their last press conference.

“Nevertheless, on Friday, May 2, we will deal with business. Master? I am a master, rightly. He is not a master. He had to work in my own way, but he is still not there. So all that I will go there and do what I have to do – fun and beat the brakes from this boy,” said Teofimo.

Oscar de la Hoya, promoter Golden Boy, believes that if British fighters Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. They will fight the rematch, probably “ends his career” because of the punishment they absorb in the Second War.

Eubank Jr. He threw almost 1,000 blows and had Benna near knocking in rounds 11 and 12. Chris Jr. He landed 367 out of 912 thrown at 40.2%. Benn was 215 of 593, for 36.3%.

Benn and Eubank Jr. I don’t have a career. They operate at the British national level. So, even if they are physically washed after the Second War, they can continue to fight the same opposition level, as before without any decline, because they don’t fight world -class fighters.

Eddie Hearn expressed the belief that Benn could win world titles in 147 and 154, but any little hope for this event could be broken if he fought again with Eubank Jr. In another exhausting match.

Both warriors traded with bombs from close range on Saturday evening in London, England. Naturally larger and more experienced warrior, Eubank Jr. (35-3, 25 KO), defeated Benna (23-1, 14 KO) by a 12-round unanimous decision of the results 116-112 x 3.

Hoyi warnings

“The rematch will probably end their career right away. It’s so intense,” said Oscar de la Hoya Warrior About Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr., if they fight again because of the exhausting first match.

Promoter Eddie Hearn expressed his concern for Benn’s career if he takes a rematch with Eubank Jr., because he knows that it will be an exhaustive fight that will push him to the edge. If Conor simply cares about the money and receiving this great day, he will probably take a rematch. He has already said that he wants to fight eubank jr again.

If Benn returns to the welterweight division after the second fight against Eubank Jr, it will not be good if he fights with pretenders or any of the masters. Even WBC Master Mario Barrios would be too good for him, especially after Eubank Jr.